J-Source

UK Press Complaints Commission to regulate Twitter

The Press Complaints Commission in the UK is expected to start regulating reporter and Twitter feeds, according to a recent article in the Guardian. The Press Complaints Commission in the UK is expected to start regulating reporter and Twitter feeds, according to a recent article in the Guardian. The Commission believes that certain postings are…

The Press Complaints Commission in the UK is expected to start regulating reporter and Twitter feeds, according to a recent article in the Guardian.


The Press Complaints Commission in the UK is expected to start regulating reporter and Twitter feeds, according to a recent article in the Guardian.

The Commission believes that certain postings are part of a newspaper’s editorial product, and should be treated as such.

It does, however, plan to distinguish between personal feeds and official feeds — such as those that clearly come from a paper, like, to use a Canadian example, @nationalpost or @VancouverSun.

The Guardian adds: “That principle could be further extended to cover a reporter’s “official” work account, whilst leaving personal accounts that discuss conversations over breakfast and weekend exploits as outside its ambit.”  

Before you breathe a wee sigh of relief for our UK counterparts, though, think of this: many newspapers republish journo tweets on their feeds. Considering this, says the Guardian, “many journalist musings are likely to be drawn in.”

So, is this good news, or bad? And could we see the same thing happen here?

[node:ad]